Word Around Town had the pleasure of attending Choice Bolton’s Unwind Wednesday reading. Refreshing and innovative, Choice’s poetry night is a must see.
Listed as “Cometry” on Facebook it lives up to the inception of the word; non-stop laughter and great poetry were available all night long. In particular, Choice’s hosting style is at once inviting and hilarious, he brings an energy to the show that is infectious. He demands energy from his audience, encouraging even those who did not come to read to participate as active and engaged audience members.
He hosts the show in the intimate downtown bar, Escape (914 Prairie) with little pretense. The center of the room is cleared and surrounded by seating, poets stand alone on the hardwood floor under the blue and yellow lights. DJ ARTAFACT interludes between poets with hip-hop music that gets people moving and singing. Great drink specials and instant camaraderie make the night feel special.
The performances were exceptional and often thought provoking. Qaadir Williams wowed the crowd with a moving piece about experiencing beauty with all of his senses. The night is also a practice ground for Slam! greats Khalid, Outspoken Bean, and The Fluent One who all turned in fantastic performances.
When Jem appeared a bit late in the evening wearing a huge wrestling belt like a trophy, we discovered these poets battle one another and are awarded trophies. Jem’s recent victory was celebrated and lorded over the heads of her conquests, all in good fun. Jem shared hosting with Choice, the two poets are obviously very good friends. Jem is also funny, and brings a compelling insight to her audience. She enjoyed watching the faces of the audience members who were rapt with attention. She began several philosophical conversations, asking the audience questions about the difference between pride and confidence, engaging us in a serious conversation before returning to the joking nature of the show.
The three rules of the show encompass perfectly what Unwind Wednesday is all about:
Rule #1: Respect the mic
Rule #2: Respect the mic
Rule #3: Respect the goddamn mic, because we’re artists, and we’re sensitive about our shit!
Go see Unwind Wednesday’s at Escape – you won’t be sorry for long.
Teresa Juarez
Stephen Gros
